Shadow
by Matrix Taylor
Summary: Even when he's there, he is not...*Advent Children* Told in Tifa's point-of-view following events of FF7. Inspired by Britney Spears song, "Shadow".


Shadow

By: Matrix Taylor

Type: Romance

Rated: T (To Be On The Safe Side)

Movie: FF7: Advent Children

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't know what the heck is wrong with me! All I'm getting is stupid fluff & romance! At least I still have my angst.

AMG: Um…I guess it's a bad time to mention that some of my fluff bunnies got out.

M.T.: 0.0…Enjoy the fic while I go hunting fluff bunnies. ***cocks shotgun***

AMG: I guess I'll do a quick disclaimer. FF7 and the song Shadow do not belong to Matrix (or me). Now if you'll excuse me, I have to stop my friend from killing my happy fluff bunnies! ***runs off***

I awaken to something warm on m skin. At first I do not recognize it for what it really is. I am thinking it is you. I believe it is you lying beside me maybe finally holding me close. I open my eyes to see yellow and I think it is that spiky hair of yours that I've come to love so much. I reach up and caressed those golden locks you call your hair.

**Your body's warm but you are not**

**You give a little not a lot**

I find myself smiling as you lie over me. It is almost like we are floating you and I. You are dressed in your usual all black attire and I am dressed in my usual skirt and top. But you do not mind. I love looking into shoe deep blue eyes like the sea. I always drown in them even when I try not to. I reach up and caress your smooth skin and you hold your palm against my own. I can plainly see the smile on your face and I want to kiss you. There is a tingling in the back of my mind. However, I ignore it for the time being. Right now, I'm simply wondering why you haven't kissed me yet.

**It could be love until we kiss**

**You're all I want but not like this**

As I become fully aware of myself and am truly starting to wake up, you begin to disappear. I reach for you, but you simply slip through my fingers. I find myself panicking for a moment before I completely awaken and remember right after sitting up and looking around, that it is all a dream. The warm feeling was the sun. You were never here. You are still gone.

**I'm watching you disappear**

**But you, you were never here**

As always, I push the thought away quickly, hiding my broken heart even from myself now. I force myself to move and start the day, making sure both Marlene and Denzel are taken care of. I had to keep moving. I could not afford to dilly/dally like you could. I'll save it for later when the kids are asleep and I can silently miss you again. Even if it's a little broken, I'll wear a smile.

**It's only your shadow, never yourself**

**It's only your shadow, nobody else**

**It's only your shadow filling the room**

**Arriving too late and leaving too soon**

**And leaving too soon**

I know you were supposed to come today so I took Marlene to meet you at the church. Of course, you were late again as usual. You are always late. It as there I found out the truth. We, Marlene and I, realized that you had Geostigma. That brought a deeper pain within my heart, but I still keep hoping. I wont' let you give up. I won't give you up.

**Your body gives but then takes back**

**The sun is bright the sky is black**

We all want you to stay. But I want you to stay most of all. I want to ask you. However, I know you. Is it possible that you might stay? Even if it means you'll eventually succumb to Geostigma, would you stay four our sake? Would you stay for mine? Honestly, I'm not sure if my heart could take it if you left again. It's already bad enough that you're chasing ghosts. Then again, I'm chasing one too.

**Can only be another sign**

**I cannot keep what isn't mine**

While waiting for you, we were attacked by a man with short, spiked white hair. He reminded me of Sephiroth. The guy asked about his mother. Isn't that just silly? In an attempt to protect Marlene who hid nearby, I challenged him. We fought and I was wining at fist. But in the end, that bastard caught me with a cheap shot and rendered me useless. But that was not upset me the most. No…it was when Marlene uttered your name in hopes that you would save her and you did not appear. And even though I lay here hurt and unable to move at the moment regretting that I id not get to at least tell you how I truly felt bout you, I still continue to hope that you would come.

You did arrive eventually. Late as always...

**You let your love linger on**

**But you, you were almost gone**

I have to admit that I was quite surprised when I awoke to find you there, although both Marlene and Denzel were not. It was then I confronted you about laving without a word and never mentioning once to us that you had Geostigma. I did not are that Rude and Reno may like may have been listening or standing there. But somehow, I believe you needed to hear it. It was about time you heard it although I believed it upset you a little. Yet, it gave you the courage you needed to fight. It may have been in my best interest then to tell you that I love you. But I did not believe that it was the right time. I wanted to tell you right after Kadaj and his gang was taking care of.

As you go off to fight and rescue the kids taken, I felt that familiar pain my heart now realizing that you may leave again after the fighting is over. However, I still remain positive, refusing to give in to that kind of thinking.

**It's only your shadow, never yourself**

**It's only your shadow, nobody else**

**It's only your shadow filling the room\**

**Arriving too late**

**And leaving too soon**

**And leaving too soon**

While you were gone, Midgar was under attack, thanks to Kadaj and his gang. They did something to the children with Geostigma. What I do not know. However, after being attacked by Bahamut Sin, I was glad when our friends showed up when they did or Denzel and I would have been goners. But the whole time I am still wondering, remembering our last conversation, if you were coming. I have to keep hoping. I really hope you will still keep your promise to the kids even if you decide to leave in the end. They've been through enough already.

**How can I tell if you mean what you say?**

**You say it so loud that you seem far away!**

**Maybe I have just a glimpse of your soul**

**Or was that your shadow I saw on the wall?**

I must say that I was surprised to see you when you stopped in front of us. You were ready for battle. My heart sore and I could not help but smile and light up when I saw you. And the way you spoke, I knew that you plan to stay. My smile became more genuine and my heart sung as I sensed something anew in you. For a brief moment, I thought I saw something more in your eyes, but could I be hoping for far too much?

**I'm watching you disappear**

**But you, you were never here**

My heart broke today. It is a feeling that I will never forget. It was right after our friends and I watched you fight Kadaj and then a newly reborn Sephiroth. I had to admit that I worried; however, I never lost faith in you. I could not be more proud. Yet, my world and heart shattered when there was a sudden explosion on top of the building where you stood right after watching Kadaj disappear.

"Cloud," I yelled, running to the window of the Shira, Cid's newest flying machine.

It was then I regretted not telling you how I felt when I had the chance. Yet, I could not believe you were gone from me just like that. It had to be some kind of mistake. I continued to believe that you survived despite the chances. I wouldn't cry or accept it until I saw this for myself.

**It's only your shadow, never yourself**

**It's only your shadow, nobody else**

**It's only your shadow filling the room**

**Arriving too late**

**(No no no no)**

We searched and found you lying in water, broken debris and flowers within Aeris church. I saw you lying there, but I still refuse to believe that you were gone from me. I prayed to the planet and even Aeris not to take you away from me. It may sound silly but I love you that much. That's right. I love you.

**It's only your shadow**

However, my breathing still did not escape me until you opened those familiar blue eyes letting us know that you were still with us. That you were still with me…

**It's only your shadow, nobody else**

Happy that you are alive, I watched as you took Denzel into the pool of water within the church and poured it over him healing him of his Geostigma. Others followed suit…I watched with pride in my heart and a love that can never die. And for the first time in your life, you looked at me the same without no regrets and finally with the love I waited for you to return for a lifetime…

**It's only your shadow**

**Arriving too late and leaving too soon**

**It's only your shadow…**

**Tifa & Cloud 4Ever…**

R&R


End file.
